Queen of Spades
by wintersalad
Summary: She was the one foresaken by even her own. She was the one scorned by all. But with the guidance and protection of one, she will become a queen and deliver her dream.
1. July 25, 1991

Wintersalad │ Disclaimer: I own neither "Harry Potter" nor "Inuyasha." │ Written: 6/13/11 │ Posted: 6/13/11 │ Last Edited: 10/30/12

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**July 25, 1991**

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SEVERUS SNAPE glared down his nose at the man who was leaning precariously close into his personal space. His stern expression, however, was entirely lost on the snoring man besides him. At the next tilt gravitating towards his shoulder, the potions master gave a particularly vicious snarl and jabbed his finger at the man's forehead, forcing the slob away from resting upon his person.

He hated muggle transportation. He hated it with a passion. It was all the unpleasantness of riding on the knight bus, drawn out and magnified many times over, that offered no magical remedies. But for all that he hated the uncomfortable and faulty contraptions, he hated the doddering old fool who ordered him on one all the more – even more so for insisting a ticket all the way to the opposite _hemisphere_ in economy class.

He didn't understand the need for a Hogwarts professor to personally travel twelve long hours via muggle means, _internationally_, to retrieve a potential student. That is to say, in regards to a prospective muggleborn student, he _did_ understand that subtlety and tact were required – that he understood. He couldn't just apparate to an unknown foreign destination so far away and the ministry was not about to waste the resources for a portkey for a child that may not even choose to join the magical world. What he _didn't_ understand however was, while one of the finest magical institutions in the world, Hogwarts was hardly the only one capable of and expected to look after all the magical children out there.

So why was he on this horrid scrap of metal doing apparently just that?

Albus didn't explain. He never did – for anything.

Frowning, Severus waved a flight attendant over and ordered a glass of their strongest alcohol. He reckoned he'd need it. There were still two-and-a-half hours left to ruminate over what surprises Albus had prepared for him – because there must be a reason he sent _him_ of all people to represent the magical community – he wasn't known for his endearing personality or spectacular Japanese after all.

And the fool to his left had just started to drool.

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NODOKA HIGURASHI was a woman of exceptional grace. She was a gentle, yet firm, single mother of two wonderful children. The neighbors never learned much about her, only that she suddenly moved in with her young daughter and newborn son to the old shrine about two years ago. When the bolder and more inquisitive of the bunch asked the old man keeper who had lived there alone for ages about their arrival, he cackled and replied that she was his long-lost daughter. But the older folks who had have lived there for a number of years knew there was never any such mention of any such family. It was anyone's guess as to the truth about the Higurashi family.

The lady of the shrine had an air of self-assurance. There was confidence in her stride. There was composure in her posture. There was understanding in her gaze. And there was acceptance in her smiles. She was a woman who took life as it came. She gave thanks to what she held and never cried in want for more.

And that was perhaps why, when the dark figure of one Severus Snape landed on her front steps in the earliest hours of that Friday morning, she merely smiled and welcomed him into her home.

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**A/N:** _Queen of Spades_ is a crossover romance between "Harry Potter" and "Inuyasha." The official pairing is Severus x Kagome, but not until a _long_ while from now, when Kagome is of legal age (UK). Still, the gradual progression and/or age-difference may disturb some people, so please be forewarned- I will not be repeating this.

This has been a project that I have been fleshing out for nearly three months- and still am. I would greatly appreciate your feedback.

Thank you.


	2. July 26, 1991

Wintersalad │ Disclaimer: I do not own "Harry Potter" nor "Inuyasha." │ Written: 6/18/11 │ Posted: 6/20/11 │ Last Edited: 10/30/12

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**July 26, 1991**

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HER FIRST IMPRESSION of Severus Snape was that he was trying way too hard and not nearly hard enough – simultaneously. It was a complicated and curious observation. In particular, he was often way too stiff and polite, but in such a comfortable and detached manner that made it difficult to guess whether his behavior and actions were sincere or not.

She saw him that afternoon when she came home from school, but had noticed his shoes in the doorway that morning before she left (no one in her family had feet _that_ big). She had departed without a word, taking her silent cues from her mother's calm adherence to routine as she sent her off on her way with breakfast and lunch. The Higurashi and shrine had its fair share of visitors, but children were more _not-seen-not-heard_ in regards to adult matters. Upon coming home, however, he was sitting just outside, right in front of the door, as if waiting for her return. He had looked so terribly out of place and alone.

She stepped directly in front of the man, cautious and curious. He merely stared straight at her with a blank expression, his form stretching above her even while seated. For a moment, her world was consumed in black and darkness that wasn't hers. And she despaired. She wondered if there was anything happy or good in this man.

Smiling meekly (because mama always said good little girls should mind their manners), she welcomed him to the shrine and held out her small hand to the man. He continued to stay seated and simply shifted his gaze towards her hand. A slow frown stretched across his face, as if perplexed about what exactly he was expected to do with a child's outstretched hand. She wondered if he understood Japanese.

"Kagome Higurashi."

Blinking in surprise, she replied affirmatively.

The man's expression soured as he pursed his lips. He stood abruptly, startling her as he suddenly towered above her, surprising her into taking a few steps back. He looked down, expression once again unreadable, and said, "Come."

And proceeded to walk straight into her home as if he were the one who lived there.

She watched his disappearing back for a moment, trying to recall the proper translation (she didn't know she'd meet a _real_ foreigner so _soon_), before rushing in after him, hurriedly toeing off her shoes and leaving them lying haphazardly at the door. She took only a second to notice he had done the same. What tickled the back of her mind more than his apparent knowledge of Japanese customs, if not the language, was how he managed to arrange his shoes so neatly without a break in his even stride.

A curious man indeed. And one that was fast heading towards the kitchen where mama usually was.

With a short gasp, she padded quickly after the stranger and turned into a bright room. Her heart thrummed in her ears as she searched her mother's figure frantically. For reassurance that she was fine. That the man was safe. For answers.

Turning to face the newest arrival, Nodoka smiled at her eldest child. _"Welcome home, Kagome_. _Come and sit with our guest. Perhaps you can introduce yourselves while I go get the tea." _Behind her, the man made himself comfortable, taking a seat at the kitchen table, though he still held a stern expression and a rigid posture.

Observing the unusual situation, having expected her mother to be the more anxious of the two, she replied quietly, _"Yes, mama." _

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THERE WAS SOMETHING to be said about the girl's mother. Though in all aspects it should be him feeling the most secure, for he was the one better equipped with the knowledge of his presence in her home and the power of magic, the mother, _Higurashi-san_, made him feel as if the situation had been reversed and that he was the one out of his element.

She exhibited no surprise when she found a dark, menacing man standing at her door in the dark hours of the early morning. It was as almost if she had been expecting him and he briefly wondered if Albus had sent a letter, contrary to what he had claimed – that this was a unique case that required different procedures and no poor owl should be suffered such an arduous flight. Upon preparing to explain the purpose of his visit, he suddenly wished Albus did. He barely knew the language at all, at least nothing beyond the impromptu lesson he gave himself while on the plane. Unfortunately, there was no magic for imparting such knowledge on a wizard. Hoping the woman knew English, he introduced himself and asked after Kagome Higurashi. It was only upon hearing her daughter's name that she seemed to startle, confused and anxious as a mother should be when an unknown man appears to know and want something to do with her young daughter. Sighing at his dismal luck, he tried once more to briefly explain the purpose of his visit in broken Japanese.

She had asked if he would like to stay until the family was awake. Graciously opening the door to her home, she did not question the legitimacy of his claim, merely smiling softly at what he presumed to be his atrocious accent and faulty translation. He couldn't claim having met many muggle families as a professor representing Hogwarts before, but he was fairly certain a healthy dose of paranoia and denial was the norm. Perhaps the child was not muggle-born after all? Albus hadn't really clarified and he merely assumed. Or perhaps the child had come into her magic already and his sudden visit was a relief to the many questions she was sure to have.

Though he had rushed this last task given to him, hating to waste his precious time on _actively recruiting_ troublesome children, the woman's logic was sound. Having taken the first flight he could book after Albus sprung the task upon him and coming directly to the Higurashi shrine in the dead of night, he would most definitely function better with a few hours of rest. He'd need to be at his best to bring the child back to Hogwarts with him anyways.

_Higurashi-san_ didn't wake him though. Instead, she had allowed him to sleep in while she sent her daughter off to school – the child he was here for. He wondered if she did so with the knowledge that she was allowing her daughter one last day of normalcy. When he awoke, he was generally ignored around the house as she tended to her youngest. He wondered if the lady allowed strangers with suspicious reasons to stay in her home often – enough that she was comfortable with allowing him the freedom to do as he pleased within her home without her supervision.

The girl returned late in the afternoon. Wearing a red ribbon with a red dress, not to mention what appeared to be an uncomfortable red backpack; Severus Snape could only imagine the old fool's mirth at successfully sending his potions master across the world to fetch a Gryffindor. Her bold actions to welcome him, at least he assumed that was what she was doing, though he had no idea if she wished to shake his hand or help him up when she extended her hand to him (both ridiculous notions for such a small child as her to entertain as far as he was concerned), further supported the suspicion that this was the trap, or at least one of them, that Albus had set for him.

So far, the girl had continued to speak in her native tongue and he wondered if the child knew any English. How was she to fare at Hogwarts if she didn't? She climbed the seat to his right, further evidence of her possible future house, and watched him quietly this time. They looked at each other and neither spoke while her mother fussed over the Japanese version of tea and biscuits.

"_Well, _Snape_-sensei, this is my daughter, Higurashi Kagome," _the mother began as she sat across from him. _"Kagome, this is your future professor, should you choose to enroll in his school. Give your respects."_

The girl furrowed her brow, obviously confused at the news, but obediently greeted him with a slight bow of her head, _"I am Higurashi Kagome, pleased to meet you. Please look after me." _Looking up, she glanced between him and her mother, waiting for either to speak, and when neither did, she ventured to ask, _"My professor in what exactly? I am already attending school."_

Her mother smiled indulgently at her daughter before turning to him in expectation. Frowning, he started, _"My name is _Severus Snape_. I am a professor at _Hogwarts_, school of witchcraft and wizardry. _Kagome Higurashi_ is-"_

"_But witchcraft isn't real!"_

The girl had stood abruptly, pushing away from the table so that her chair fell over on its back. Gasping, the mother admonished, _"Kagome!"_

Biting her bottom lip, the girl glared at the two adults, clenching her fists at her sides. Shivering with what he can only assume to be rage, Severus noted that the girl appeared more defensive than aggressive. Frowning in thought, he searched for the proper words before calmly asking, _"How old are you _Miss Higurashi_?"_

Surprised at the sudden question, the girl eyed him suspiciously before cautiously replying, _"Ten years old."_

Nodding, though curious (Hogwarts usually accepted students when they were around eleven), Severus continued, _"And have you ever…"_

Sizing the girl up, the man pursed his lips in contemplation. After another moment of silence, he brought out what appeared to be nothing more than a neatly polished stick and waved it through the air. Both females looked on in wonder as letters – English – weaved in silver light in the air, as if they were illuminated smoke hovering in space. Then, when the sentence seemed to be completed, the man gave a short flick of the wrist and they both gasped as the words were suddenly translated into Japanese.

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'_HAVE YOU EVER ACCOMPLISHED THINGS YOU COULDN'T EXPLAIN?'_

_._

Wide-eyed, the girl walked forward and leaned over the table. Reaching up, her small trembling fingers traced the words left hanging in the air between them. And when she was finally able to tear her eyes away from the undeniable truth, she turned to him with a look in her eyes that he'll never be able to forget.

"You are a witch, Kagome Higurashi," he whispered.

And the hope on her face blinded him.

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**A/N: **Though there will be references to Japanese culture and language, I will not be translating between two languages. All Japanese will be written in italics already translated and only a few notes will be made when deemed necessary. For example, I will not be explaining the honorifics system of the Japanese language, but I will be explaining certain details such as the following:

*In Japan and many other countries, English is a required second language taught in school.

That being said, please feel free to ask any questions if you need something to be clarified. I will be sure to address your questions either directly or in the following update.

I will be using the character's actual birthdates, so Kagome will be ten (7/2/81) and Severus will be thirty-one (1/9/60) during her first year. Thanks to a kind reviewer, I noticed that there is some disagreement on the actual birthdate for Kagome, so if anyone knows for certain, please let me know. After a certain number of chapters have been written however, there will be no changes and the discrepancy will remain as part of my literary license. There is a twenty-one age difference between Severus and Kagome. Harry Potter will be eleven (7/31/80).

As for where Kagome will be sorted into, that will be revealed later in the story, so please look forward to it. I can disclose the order of houses in which I believe she is most suitable for however:

(1)

Hufflepuff

(2)

Gryffindor

(3)

Ravenclaw

(4)

Slytherin

Please review and feel free to let me know which house you feel Kagome should be sorted into! If you'd like a response, please leave a signed review or contact!


	3. July 27, 1991

Wintersalad │ Disclaimer: I do not own "Harry Potter" nor "Inuyasha." │ Written: 7/30/11 │ Posted: 7/31/11 │ Last Edited: 10/30/12

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**July 27, 1991**

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THE GIRL had bolted. One moment she was standing right there before him, hand outstretched as if to reach for him, and the next she was running as fast as she could away from him.

Severus tended to have that effect on people.

Glaring at nothing in particular, his lips curled into a self-depreciating snarl. Really, it wasn't anything new. Ever since he could remember, there was something about him that turned people away. The few that entered his life had always ended up either leaving his side or was never really there to begin with. His parents, for a sad example, or Lucius and Albus, for a pathetic second, and Lily, _always _sweet Lily…

Clutching his cup absently, he wondered why he was then so disturbed by the girl's departure. It was currently two in the morning and he was still sitting at the Higurashi kitchen table.

After the girl ran upstairs, her mother gave him a soft apology and left in search of her daughter. She consoled her child for the better part of an hour and came back down to reassure her guest that her daughter was merely surprised by the good news and that the excitement had exhausted her to sleep. She then brewed him a fresh pot of tea and went about making dinner.

There was something quite intimate about witnessing the daily routines of a household. He couldn't quite bring himself to move from his seat after the child, _Kagome_, ran away, and so he remained seated by the table as Mrs. Higurashi went about her way, prepping and cooking and cleaning and mothering. She hummed and danced, carefree and graceful, as if there wasn't a stranger watching her every movement and her children weren't distraught upstairs from that very stranger's presence. He waited at their kitchen table as if he were waiting for the girl to come back.

Ridiculous really.

She had set his meal before him and apologized for not being able to have the family sit with him before bidding him a good night and bringing dinner upstairs to her children. And so he remained behind, with a cup of cold tea in his hands.

"_Sensei?"_

Shifting his eyes, he turned to greet the girl with a blank expression. His dark eyes watched her hesitate briefly before softly padding towards him. Her small hands clutched a flat, stuffed animal in front of her, as if to shield herself from his gaze, and he glanced at the wretched thing before moving back to stare expectantly at the child before him.

So she did return.

Biting her lips, Kagome observed the professor's untouched dinner and felt her stomach tie itself in knots of anxiety, guilt, shame and hunger. Her own dinner was sitting cold upstairs besides her bed. Strengthening her resolve, the young girl shook away all distractions and took a deep breath before meeting the professor's eyes.

"Hogwarts."

And with sudden clarity, Severus understood.

Waving a hand over the meal before him, he warmed up the food and slid his bowl over to the girl. Without a word, he bid her to sit and eat. The girl glanced between him and the bowl, chewing her bottom lip and wrinkling her brow. Catching his keen expression, she moved to sit besides him and hugged her tattered plush toy to her chest.

"Eat."

Wide eyes peered up at him from beneath soft bangs. Dark, liquid brown eyes searched his face for something he didn't care to decipher before her lips stretched slowly into a small grin. It was perhaps one of the most disconcerting things he had ever witnessed in his life. Jumping up, the girl suddenly turned and ran back upstairs.

Abandoned once again, Severus blinked in confusion at the fleeing figure and wondered how many times this should happen before he was entitled to feel insulted. He turned away from the girl's abrupt exit and studied the matted plush left behind.

It appeared the girl held affection for diseased cats of some sort.

Hearing the soft steps of running feet, the potions master turned once more towards the child, this time carrying what appeared to be a small, pink bowl. Moving to his side, she timidly presented the gift to the nonplussed man. Staring at the proffered bowl, neither moved nor spoke as the child panted lightly from her recent exertion, hands extended once more towards his direction. It was a moment and forever before the professor slowly moved to reach for the offering.

Holding the precious gift in a tender grasp, not knowing exactly what had been exchanged but recognizing the significance just the same, he whispered softly, _"Thank you."_

Beaming, the girl hopped towards her seat and proceeded to share his dinner. Severus felt his lips quirk at the happy surprise on the child's face upon discovering the food to be warmed and the two proceeded to eat in silence.

A curious picture the pair made that night: a young girl of ten with a too-large black bowl and a world-weary man of thirty-one with a small pink one sharing a warm meal together at a tiny kitchen table.

Who said magic wasn't real?

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THEY FINISHED eating at exactly the same time. Without a word, the girl proceeded to clear the table and moved to wash the dishes, leaving him once again to sit alone at the table, watching. Severus couldn't help but compare the child to her mother, their silhouettes overlapping. It was an amusing exercise and just as before, an intimate experience. Discomfited, he turned his eyes away.

When he heard the water turn off, Severus regarded the child carefully as she retook her seat besides him. Patiently, he waited.

Kagome sat with her eyes towards her lap, not really seeing her fingers twisting, but a bit too frightened to meet her future professor's eyes. She had so many questions! But, chewing her bottom lip, was she prepared to hear the answers?

After a long moment, she lifted her gaze shyly to find Snape-_sensei_'s eyes watching her. Her first question, inevitably, was, _"Is magic honestly real?"_

And Snape-_sensei_ replied, _"As real as you and I."_

Finding strength, she fired her next question, _"Then I am a witch?"_

"_We believe so," _he responded.

He watched her mouth open and felt a wave of questions that had long been eating away at the child pushing forth, but… she didn't voice them. Instead, he watched her struggle as she realized the powerful rushing force of unleashed waters and fought to close the dam. And succeeded.

Remarkable for a child so young.

Her eyes slid towards the side, searching, and she asked ever so softly, _"Magic… Can it… Can it protect those I love?"_

And his mind flashed with memories, memories he tried time and time again to keep locked away, memories that screamed and wailed, memories of fiery red hair and vibrant green eyes, memories that turned cold and quiet and grey…

"_Sensei?"_

Stormy black eyes snapped towards the girl and it took a moment for him to gather himself. And as he took in the small child sitting before him, he thought of another pair of green eyes, just as young as the brown before him, and whispered back just as softly, "Sometimes."

It wasn't until the girl stumbled her way back to bed after bidding him a good-night that he thought to wonder why, of all questions a ten-year old could have, she chose that specific one to ask him.

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**A/N: **This was a difficult chapter to write, but it is a rather important one. Well, all chapters are important, otherwise they wouldn't be written. Hopefully, things aren't developing too slowly. Please let me know what you think and any opinions or suggestions you may have are greatly appreciated. I enjoyed reading which house you thought Kagome should be sorted into and look forward to sorting her when the school year begins. Please feel free to continue to speculate. I look forward to your reviews! Thank you!


	4. July 27 & 28, 1991

Wintersalad │ Disclaimer: I do not own "Harry Potter" nor "Inuyasha." │ Written: 8/27/11 │ Posted: 11/24/11 │ Last Edited: 10/30/12

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**July 27, 1991 – July 28, 1991**

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SWEEPING THE BACK of her hand gently across soft skin, she tenderly brushed away dark locks of ebony black hair. Worried eyes wandered across the sleeping face, inscribing the young and relatively innocent features to memory and heart. She sat by the sleeping figure until the sun began to peek into the modest room, but it was still all too soon when she woke and opened her eyes to the world around her.

"_Mama…?"_

Lifting her features, Nodoka smiled down at her daughter as she stirred awake. _"Good morning, Kagome," _she responded quietly. Watching as she fisted her eyes, Nodoka added, _"Would you like to help me with breakfast today? We can make hot cakes." _Grinning mischievously, she leaned forward to whisper, _"Grandpa's not home yet."_

Lifting a hand, Kagome blinked slowly at her mother, trying to gauge how serious she was. When she saw the waiting expression, she couldn't help but laugh and chirp out an enthusiastic, _"Yes!"_

"_We'll see what else we can whip up today. Hurry up dear, it's impolite to keep a guest waiting," _Mrs. Higurashi imparted as she tucked a stray lock behind a small ear and got up to turn towards the door. _"I'll be downstairs."_

"…_Sensei?"_

_._

PROFESSOR SNAPE was already up, however. Or rather, he didn't really catch much sleep at all. Not after his brief conversation with the young Miss Higurashi earlier this morning. Not when the end of July was so terribly close. He peered up at the approaching figure of the shrine's matriarch from his self-assigned seat at the kitchen table. One had to wonder if he had moved at all since yesterday's afternoon encounter.

"_Good morning."_

Nodoka stepped leisurely into the kitchen. _"Good morning, _Snape-_sensei."_

He watched her move towards the stove. For a good ten minutes, she moved across the kitchen, gathering what he presumed to be ingredients for today's morning meal. Just as he heard the soft footsteps of young Miss Higurashi approaching, Mrs. Higurashi turned and walked briskly towards his side. Slightly alarmed at her sudden intent demeanor, he favored focusing his attention on her sharp movements full of purpose, rather than that of the approaching child, as she sat down a tray of freshly brewed tea and pried the cup he still held away from his grasp. Setting it aside, she then proceeded to pour him a new cup with practiced ease and finesse. Smiling, with just the hint of a warning, she offered him his tea.

Warily, he accepted it. _"Thank you."_

Nodding, she glanced at her daughter briefly before swiftly turning back towards her morning preparations, his old cup with her. If she was surprised that it was warm to the touch, she showed no indication.

Following her gaze, he watched the girl timidly step forward. With wide eyes, she glanced between her mother's stiff back and his slightly bewildered expression. Pressing her lips together, she suppressed a secret smile. Catching his dark eyes, she sent him a sheepish, if slightly shy, grin. Bemused despite himself, he greeted, _"Good morning, _Miss Higurashi._"_

"Good morning, Snape-_sensei_," she replied, just as grandly. At his somewhat surprised expression, she giggled and fluttered to her mother's side. _"What can I do to help, mama?"_

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HIGURASHI SHRINE wasn't all that large or special and so they never received too many guests, much to grampa's secret dismay. The grounds were home to just the four of them. No one was interested in studying under grampa (a real shame if you asked him) and the occasional guest or two who took refuge in their home always left after a short stay.

That being said, they still had a nice steady flow of visitors every now and then who required the shrine's services. This weekend was one of those. Apparently one of the locals was about to welcome a new child into their family and everyone was quite excited.

"_Good afternoon Kagome-chan! Look at how pretty you are!"_

"_Be a dear and see if there are any protective charms for safe delivery, would you?"_

"_Is it still just the few of you manning the shrine today? Poor thing…"_

"_Oh! Did your mother make those miko garbs? How quaint!"_

"_How is little Souta? Are you being a good big sister now?"_

Kagome invited them all in with two-thirds of her mother's grace and ignored the subtle inquiries and reprimands (because they were there between the tone inflections and slanted glances if you knew to look). She was plenty enough for helping out the shrine and mama made the best things ever. And of course she always endeavored to be the best big sister she could be as well. Kagome had learned to take their comments as observations of the obvious over the course of the years.

As their visitors casually recounted her past accidents and laughed about her clumsiness and juvenile calls for attention, Kagome wondered not for the first time why they ever bothered visiting their shrine if they didn't believe in the supernatural. But mama never denied them, but she also never stood for them, so neither would she. Finding her mother's approving smile from a distance, she felt herself walk with a straighter back and brighter smile as she detailed her little brother's adventure with the laundry and how she heroically aided him from its evil grasps to their visitors. And while she humored her happy guests, she renewed her private vow once more as the image of a giggling Souta running away from magically flying sheets was tucked away safely from the eagerly curious yet scornfully presuming eyes.

"_How are you and your mother holding up dear? Your grandfather has been away, hasn't he? It is unfortunate, but it isn't the safest for a single woman with two young children these days to be alone," _a man queried.

"_And it can't be easy," _a woman inserted._ "Taking care of you and your young brother, all by herself while keeping up the shrine. Your grandfather is also getting on with age…"_

"_We miss grandfather, but he will be home tomorrow," _Kagome replied with a frown. Their comments and gestures were becoming less and less restrained. She knew how people here looked at her mother, a young woman who appeared to have fled home with two young children and no husband. She knew the troubles she went through and how much she didn't deserve to. Kagome didn't care what other people thought of her and her magic (she didn't!), but she couldn't stand having them question her mother and brother. _"Thank you for your concern,"_ she added as she eyed her mother's worried expression as they approached her. _"I help with the shrine and Souta when mother is busy. She says that I am a great help. And grandfather says he's still plenty young for his age_ – _and I believe him."_

They laughed at her self-important assessment and Kagome smiled wryly as she kept leading them onwards.

"_Well I certainly hope Ken-chan here will learn from you and be a model older sibling," _a lady relative fussed, ushering a reluctant boy forward. _"He's been rather..."_ She game him a small nudge.

Kagome glanced back towards _"Ken-chan"_ and noted his pouty features. He was a year or two younger and she never really spoke with him before, but she supposed this was where she was expected to lend some camaraderie.

"_Souta is a lot of fun,"_ she pondered thoughtfully. _"But he can be a lot of trouble too. Because they're babies, they don't know how to tell you what they need or want or understand what you need or want, so you have to be very considerate and patient. Mainly patient,"_ Kagome emphasized with a nod. _"But that just means that when they're old enough, you have certain rights and privileges over them,"_ she grinned encouragingly_. "But don't tell mama I said that,"_ she stage-whispered.

The adults all laughed, but the boy merely scowled deeper. Kagome had the impression he was forced to tag along with his relatives as some gesture of good faith. She didn't quite understand the resentment she felt from him, even if she logically understood how he may have felt due to the impending birth of his younger sibling.

_"I don't care about that. Yours is a boy, but mine's a girl!"_ he exclaimed, his voice growing increasingly louder. _"She's not going to be any fun at all! Not now, not ever!"_

Startled, Kagome merely stared at him. Having apparently lit a fuse, he continued, _"I bet it's the same for Souta! He's not going to have any fun with you! He doesn't even have a dad!"_

_"Kentarou!"_

"_I see! You're very right! You make a very valid point there Kentarou-kun!"_

Everyone turned to look at Nodoka, but the unperturbed matron continued smiling at the boy with her hands clasped in front of her. _"Souta's a boy and maybe for now, his sister and I may be enough to play with, but when he grows a little older, he's going to want to play with boys like himself, huh? Maybe you should bring your little sister over as often as you'd like so you can play with Souta and Kagome can play with your little sister!"_

"_But you know," _she continued, leaning further in closer to his eye level. _"Kagome and I have tons of fun with Souta, and he has a lot of fun with us too, so we hope he'll still want to play with us when he's older. We love him very much and there are some things only girls can do as there are some things only siblings can do. You wouldn't want to miss out on all of that now would you?"_

Kentarou returned her gaze, but with no intense heat. A puzzled brow creased his forehead while his lips were tilted in skepticism. Perhaps it was because she was an adult with whom he was unfamiliar with, or perhaps it was because it was Nodoka herself with all her perceptiveness and acceptance, but eventually, after a moment, he nodded and retreated.

But not before he sent Kagome a look as well.

"_Well, I'm terribly sorry Higurashi-san," _the lady asserted. _"My nephew was raised better than this." _And here she sent the boy an angry glower. _"We don't understand what's gotten into him these days. The poor child hasn't even been born yet!"_

Nodoka glanced at the still stubborn boy before smiling gently at his aunt. _"Children often have reasons adults are not perceptive enough to grasp. I am sure Kentarou-kun has his own to carry."_

"_I suppose you may be right. Though…" _and here the lady averted her gaze. _"Since Ken-chan did bring it up, have you given any further thought to the omiai partner I mentioned?"_

Motioning to Kagome, Nodoka waved her daughter over and tenderly pulled her by her side. As her mother smoothed her tresses from her face, Kagome allowed her overflowing pride, awe, and love to suppress any other thoughts and emotions garnered from the recent exchanges. She rather preferred their foreign visitor to these local ones. Though he was by far the stranger of strangers, there was consideration and respect in his distance and demeanor that was absent in this lady's familiarity and pretense.

"_No… No I haven't changed my mind,"_ Nodoka smiled grimly, focusing on her daughter instead of looking the woman in the eyes. _"I'd like to remain devoted to my children and the family I already have. There's no room in my life for anyone else." _And though her eyes remained on her daughter's upturned face, arms looping through hers to hold her close, her voice was firm and confident.

Frowning, Kentarou's aunt ignored the warning hand on her shoulder and remarked, _"Really? I could've sworn there was talk of yet another unfamiliar man being welcomed into your home just recently."_

"…_Pardon?" _Nodoka asked.

Ignoring the dangerously charged air, she continued, _"Not to imply anything or undermine your family values, but I'm just considering your situation."_

"And what, pray tell, would this lovely situation be?"

Standing about two strides away, Severus Snape stood imperiously over all of them, stern and unmoving. Donned completely in black from the roots of his hair to the soles of his shoes, he stared down the shrine's visitors from behind crossed arms, the sun eclipsed by his dark, ominous presence etching his silhouette against the more spiritually reassuring surroundings of the shrine grounds. And again, Kagome could not help but wonder how displaced he appeared in her home. But gazing upon his intimidating visage standing strongly behind her mother and in front of their home, she inexplicably felt a sense of unwarranted pride and gratefulness. Because even as he raised his brow in answer to the lady's poor manners, she knew that while it could not be assumed that he was supporting them or shielding them from ridicule, she saw in him what she coveted all her life: strength.

Grinning, Kagome untangled herself from her mother and ran towards the tall figure still standing apart, giggling delightfully, _"Sensei!" _Stopping just short of tackling him, she beamed up at his passive expression. _"What are you doing out here?"_

Staring down at his soon-to-be young charge, he noted the tense muscles at the corners of her mouth and overly wide eyes and slid a glance towards the muggles that appeared to be agitating his hosts. Looking back he gazed into the smaller Higurashi's eyes and contemplated the small revelation to his earlier question this morning and decided to test how true and far that revelation went.

"The boy awoke. He is rather distrustful of me and so I came to find you and your mother."

The girl's grin relaxed into a wondered 'o' during the professor's short but unhurried response. Her eyes remained rather large however – this time in true curiosity. Of course, her facial features quickly tensed up again as she attempted to recall her English lessons as rapidly and accurately as possible while trying to retain as much of what the unmoving man just said. It was rather difficult since they didn't really do practical applications in school and she was completely unprepared for this sudden test of her conversational skills.

Behind the two, everyone else was at a loss. Nodoka, since her guest had always politely attempted to communicate as best as he could in Japanese with them, and the visiting family, since he was an unexpected presence that appeared unexpectedly and without explanation.

"_Um…_ _Souta?_ _Souta!_ My brother! He is awake? From his sleep?"

Expression unchanging, Severus gave a small nod. Perhaps not entirely fluent, but he can work with this. She is not as unintelligent or useless as those dunderheads he must teach and re-teach each year as knowledge unapplied tends to leave their empty minds.

"Yes, perhaps you or your mother should go to him."

Again, Kagome looked down to wrinkle her brow and purse her lips before glancing back up and replying, "Okay. Thank you!" Turning to her mother, she spoke, _"Mama! Souta is up! Sensei says we should go see him. I think he's scared or something and is hiding in the house."_

"_Oh! Of course!" _Turning apologetically to her guests, Nodoka regretfully said, _"I'm sorry, I'll just be a moment. I assume you'll be wanting some charms for safe delivery, so I'll grab them on my way. I'll have Kagome keep you company in the meanwhile_ – _please let her know if there is anything else you need." _And thus said, she turned to tend to her youngest.

They all briefly watched Nodoka leave before turning their attention to each other. Still by the professor's side, Kagome nervously introduced each party.

"_This is _Snape_-sensei. He's staying with us for a while," _the girl began. Gesturing to the remaining visitors, she continued in Japanese to the Hogwarts professor,_ "And this is the Matsuoka family. They are expecting a girl soon and are visiting to receive blessings from our shrine."_

Severus raised a brow at the introduction and watched as the girl blush as she realized her mistake. But before she could correct herself and translate, he cut in and spoke in a drawling manner to the family, "A pleasure, I'm sure." Looking the lady who last spoke in the eye, he continued, "I give my congratulations. She appears to be blessed with a splendid family."

.

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**A/N: **Don't you love how Slytherin Snape is? And it's almost time for them to leave for Hogwarts! But before school starts, I hope to give their relationship and characters a little more depth first. Can't wait! I'd be extremely happy to hear what you can pick up! There's a lot I want to come through without spelling it out. It'd be a great help to see what works and what doesn't.

* An _omiai _is basically a marriage interview or blind date.

Happy Thanksgiving! Thank you for always being so patient with me:]


	5. July 29, 1991

Wintersalad │ Disclaimer: I do not own "Harry Potter" nor "Inuyasha." │ Written: 6/20/11 │ Posted: 3/17/12 │ Last Edited: 3/17/12

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**[ Q U E E N O F S P A D E S ]**

**July 29, 1991**

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INITIALLY, he had wished to arrive and leave as swiftly as possible.

With or without the girl.

So eager was he _not_ to play Albus's game, he had asked no questions aside from who and where, then proceeded to apparate towards the airport right there in his office- Albus managed to make _those_ terms quite clear and he was all the more sorry to have stayed long enough to have heard them. The slippery headmaster would add more than what he asked for in his answer to where, but would pretend not to have noticed the very blatant why unvoiced during the stretch of silence after he issued the order.

It was not his place to question his masters.

And he had no doubt that Albus was his master in that moment. Not his mentor, friend, or colleague. No, not even as his headmaster. The man had given him a task and expected it to be completed without a question. Oh, Albus gave his reasons of course, those he deemed Severus needed to hear, about owls and unavailable staff, but he strayed from the heart of the question itself. Why fetch the girl at all?

And so he had casted more than a handful of confundus-charms before, during, and after his flight to avoid unnecessary attention and questions about his one-way ticket towards Japan, his magicked papers, and all other tedious flight securities. If he didn't so happen to have been in one of his tempers, he would have had no need of flaunting his magic to muggles. Those sad fools might not appreciate his magic, but the other half, the idiotic, _magical_ half of fools, would.

And they would ask questions for which he had been given no answers to.

And so he worried lightly on his poor hold over temper and judgment whenever Lily, the _thought_ of Lily, was near. Terrible when her memory was everywhere most days.

But not here. Not here in Japan at the Higurashi home and shrine. Here, where everything was as simple, honest, and open as the sacred grounds around them. Where he can bask in solitude and steal a moment of peace if he so desired. There was no trace of Lily here. Not if he was able to let her go. Unfortunately, he had always been a man who took responsibility quite seriously, and she would always come back to haunt him before long. He welcomed both peace and torment equally- with relief and bitterness.

The girl had insisted on waiting until her grandfather's return. Apparently, the older gentleman had been away on a trip to an old friend's and was returning that evening. She claimed that she needed to say a proper good-bye, and though this was probably the truth, Severus detected a hint of anxiety in the girl. It wasn't as if he were stealing her away from her family forever, or at all for that matter, but he could understand the apprehension of leaving what was familiar and being completely alone in a foreign world. The child was only ten and had proven to be remarkably mature for a child her age. During the past few days, he had quietly observed her out of the corner of his eyes as she trailed after him around the shrine, keeping his quiet company and occasionally daring to pose forth a question or two in stuttered English. When she wasn't shadowing him, she was helping around the shrine and tending to her younger brother. The few visitors they had to the shrine all delighted in her presence and though the girl brought laughter to the adults and laughed along with the children, he could very much sense the restrained frustration behind her smiles every time someone made a subtle comment or query about her family and her episodes of what he assumed to be displays of uncontrolled magic. He could see that the girl was very much so a free spirit that was straining against the common sense of muggle society.

And so he wondered about the mystery behind the girl and her late night question. He wondered about Albus's intentions. But most of all, he wondered about his growing desire to bring her back with him to Hogwarts. To watch her grow and to aid her strength. To free her with his magical tutelage at Hogwarts as she had freed him with her blasé acceptance within her home and family. Neither gift was absolute, not by a long shot, but both were what had been previously denied and yearned for without any semblance of hope.

And so he stayed. He stayed to observe and to take in as much warmth as possible before returning to the cold of his own life. He stayed so that he may be given the chance to give.

Because as the young Miss Higurashi had already realized at her tender age, in order to protect something, one must first have the means. And as the young Miss Higurashi also unknowingly reminded him, in order to truly hold the means, one must first have something to protect.

And he had forgotten exactly what that was.

Upon meeting the Higurashi's, Severus had finally learned to accept what the passing of July 31st would bring. He learned to remember that it wasn't just about the boy or James or even Lily. It was about _a_ boy, _Lily's_ boy, and others like and unlike Lily. Like the young Miss Higurashi and her blessed family. Like young Draco. Like even perhaps Reggie and himself. If he had forgotten, he would remember or learn anew.

Together, along with the youngest child, they went to the local station to pick up the grandfather. He would've preferred staying at the shrine to walking around in the sweltering heat, but etiquette demanded that he escorted the family and not stay alone in a stranger's home, no matter how comfortable the Higurashi's were with him. Mrs. Higurashi had also mentioned previously that if her daughter was to transfer during the middle of the term*, they would need to complete the necessary paperwork. He volunteered his services to escort them to school so that they may go through the procedures together while the girl bid her farewells before heading towards the market and station. Upon the mother's voiced concerns, he also agreed to help her daughter buy what supplies they couldn't find here back in England, which pretty much meant everything magical seeing as neither of them knew where or how to get to the Japanese equivalent of Diagon Alley and Severus didn't wish to bother to try on their limited time restraint. If the Japanese ministry had yet to notice their small magical citizen at the Higurashi shrine, he wasn't about to notify them. Japan was known for its strong views on citizenship and nationalism- and he still didn't know what Albus's game was exactly. Glancing at the tired forms of the two females and fussing baby, he quietly muttered a cooling charm and the family slid him their appreciative grins.

Mr. Higurashi, senior, for Severus never saw the father and knew little about the secrecy surrounding the man, was a strange individual that may just very well be even crazier than Dumbledore. But like Albus, there were moments of lucidness where he detected much cunning and wit. The first thing the grandfather did upon laying eyes on him was to attempt to exorcise him.

Pity he didn't succeed.

Mrs. Higurashi admonished the man before apologizing to the potions master with a soft giggle, explaining that the grandfather fancied himself a Shinto priest with extraordinary powers and judgment of good and evil. He said nothing but noted the magical signature lingering in the air suspiciously as the older man played along indignantly. There was some truth to the old grandfather's claims- on both counts, he noted glumly.

He startled when a small cool hand suddenly slid into his. Peering down at the girl who was looking up at him with an upturned face, he frowned at her audacity and wondered if she had ever glanced meekly at him from beneath her bangs. Her straightforward eyes and concerned demeanor momentarily distracted him from her family's antics. Satisfied she held his attention, she led him away from the station ahead of her family.

The silly child held firmly all the way home.

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GRAMPA was terrible!

Biting her lips in worry, she sneaked another glance at Snape-sensei as he stared placidly in front of them, his hand loose in her tight grasp. She feared if she let go, he'd lose his way and disappear.

Leading the way, Kagome gave his hand a squeeze and ignored his sidelong glance down towards her in question. They both kept their gaze ahead as they walked back home, her guardians' voices soft behind them. She determinedly quickened her pace as she registered her grandfather interrogating her mother about their guest, voicing his concerns and suspicions of the man beside her. Surely, if she could hear him, then the dark man besides her most definitely did as well. And though he may not understand all, he'll understand enough.

"_Kagome!"_

She stiffened, her feet frozen on the first step of their shrine grounds. Sensei paused half a step behind her, patiently leaving his person within her gasp. It was the first physical contact initiated between them and at first she worried if such intimacy would be scorned by him. Snape-sensei appeared as a man who was private to the extreme. Over the weekend, they learned little of Hogwarts and learned even less of the professor himself- at least very little from the direct source. He kept to himself, usually finding a secluded corner of their home with a tome that appeared out of nowhere in hand (he didn't bring any luggage that she knew of) or meditating somewhere out on their shrine grounds. She dared only to venture into his private moments when it appeared he was taking a break between chapters or transitioning his mind to a new thought, and even then he spared her few words. He even guarded his expressions and body language jealously!

"_Kagome, wait and let me have a talk with our guest before returning home."_

But even though Snape-sensei never made clear how he felt about being made to linger around for her grandfather's return, he had stayed just the same. And even though he never sought their company, whenever they sought his, he always gave them his full attention. And though his answers were often brief and vague, they were always true and ready.

And so even though it was risk, she dared. She dared because he looked in desperate need of being grounded.

And grampa was currently being horrendously unfair and unkind in return!

Tilting her head back to gauge her sensei's reaction, knowing it would neigh be there, she sought his face for how she should respond to her grandfather's request. Tightening her grip, she decided to ignore her overprotective grandfather when she noticed him looking off towards the distance, refusing to meet anyone's eyes. It was unlike him, he who was ever so terribly polite, sometimes even to the point of rudeness. For someone with magic, a purification charm, faulty as it may be, may not be as much of a joke as it may be for others. And to sensei, she reflected, it may hold truer than to most of anyone else- because even now she recalled her first impression of him on her doorsteps and the despair and darkness that clung to him still at this very moment.

Blocking out the repeated calls of her name (he didn't even bother to address sensei by his name!), she half-walked and half-marched them towards the Sacred Tree.

Without speaking, she brought them to a stop at the base of the tree. Still holding his hand and urging his attention away from her person but not away from her, they both looked up into the Tree of Ages, basking in the magic of life and time. This was her favorite place. Here, where she sometimes wished she had all to herself, she came to find peace.

With the world of reality and common sense.

With her family and neighbors.

With herself.

She felt his gaze upon her again, her eyes closed to further her other senses, and she smiled a soft smile towards the filtered sky. Eventually, he relented and the both of them passed the afternoon by, standing beneath the shaded foliage, listening and soaking in the magic all around them. And never had either of them felt more at peace than with the other besides them in quite a long time.

Because magic _was_ real. And hopefully, here, sensei would be able to find his peace as she had often found hers. Hopefully, here, the most sacred of sacred grounds, the magic she had always felt but never truly recognized would soak away his burdens and channel life into his weary soul. Hopefully, here, he would finally find his roots.

Because to Kagome, sensei was magic as magic had never been. He was the first to truly seem to understand her, to share a similar hidden darkness, anger, and despair. He was the first who cared and dared to try. He was the first to truly never lie to her in any way, be it hollow reassurances or polite falsehoods. He either gave the truth or gave nothing at all. He was in just a few days what she felt could be her first true friend.

And she was not about to let him go.

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**A/N:**

* In Japan, the school term begins in April and ends in March. Summer vacation is usually around the middle of July and ends in August. Kagome is actually attending summer school during this time, though Severus may or may not know of this.

Next up, Hogwarts!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day3


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